Rug and the method of making same



May 1, 1934. A. c. RINDSKOPF RUG AND THE METHOD OF MAKING SAME Original Filed 001;. 19. 1931 Patented May 1, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT orrl-cr.

one-half to Herbert 0.

Shults, Chicago, Ill., and

one-half to Emma Rindskopf, Wilmette, Ill.

Application October 19, 1931, Serial No. 569,630 Renewed July 28, 1933 7 Claims.

An object of this invention is to provide a new form of floor rug and a method of making the same.

Another object is to provide tufts for making the rug which are assembled in a convenient form for use, as well as ropes or bundles of fibers from which the tufts can readily be formed during the process of making the rug.

' Another object is to provide a convenient form of needle for attachment to these tufts or ropes for insertion of the same in the rug.

These and other objects, as will hereinafter appear, are fully described in the following specification and shown in the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a partial front elevation of the base fabric used for making the rug with some of the tufts assembled therein;

Fig. 2 is a detail of a rope or warp from which tufts can bemade;

Fig. 3 is a similar View of one of the tufts ready for insertion in the rug;

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a modified form of tuft; I

Fig. 4 is a section through an edge of axrug showing the tufts inserted therein, some of the tufts having been hammered down or otherwise flattened out;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing a center portion of the rug made up of two overlapping portions of the base fabric with' one of the tufts in process of the insertion;

Fig. 6 is an enlargedview of a tuft placed in' a needle by means of which it is to be inserted in a rug; I

Fig. '7 is a developed viewof the needle showing how it can be formed from a sheet of metal;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged section on the line 8 of Fig. 6; and y Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modified form of rope for'making the tufts.

The embodiment illustrated comprises a rug made up with a base fabric 10 which is preferably of a loosely woven fabric, such as burlap, or linen, which has printed on one side a series of markings 11 to indicate points in the fabric through which the tufts are to be inserted. These markings may have indications v associated therewith, such as numbers which are shown in Fig. 1 for indicating the color of the tuft which is to be inserted at each point. A legend identifying the numbers and the colors which they indicate may be printed on the fabric itself, or may be printed upon a card which accompanies the fabric, or is attached thereto.

The tufts 12, as shown inFig. 3, consist of a bundle of fibers or threads of any suitable material, such as Wool, cotton, silk, rayon, asbestos, metal, or mixtures of the same. These bundles can be made in the form of long strands or bundles 13 of these yarns or fibers, twisted or untwisted as shown in Fig. 2, the strands 13 being firmly bound at regular intervals by means of metal wire rings 14 which hold the fibers so firmly that they can scarcely be withdrawn from the tufts without breaking the fibers. Between these fastenings are secured pairs of binding members 15 which hold the fibers together, but more loosely than the metal rings 14.

Having formed a bundle of these fibers in this way, they can then be transversely severed along the dotted lines of Fig. 2 to form the individual tufts 12, which have a centrally disposed metal ring or other rigid binding member 14, and a relatively loose binding member 15 at one end of the tuft. To insert this tuft into the rug it is first placed in the end of a needle 16 which preferably has three spring-like portions 17, 18 and 19, the portions 17 and 19 being longer than the portion 18, and having inwardly turned prongs 20 which serve to catch and hold the binding member 15.

When the tuft is so placed in the needle, the needle 16 is inserted through the base fabriclO at one of the points indicated and drawn through until it assumes the position shown in Fig. 5, wherein the tuft 12 has passed half its length through the fabric 10 so that the ring binder 14 is substantially in the plane of the fabric. The brushing or spreading of the outer end of the tuft will resist its being drawn any further through, and the operator then pulls on the needle so as to remove the binding member 15 from the closed end of the tuft and immediately causes the tuft to spread, as shown at 12 (Figs. 4 and 5). By hammering these tufts on a fiat surface they spread still more assuming the position 12* of Fig. 4, wherein the adjacent ends of the tufts have spread until they form substantially a solid surface. These tufts can then be removed from the base fabric only with considerable difficulty, the hammering serving also to force the base fabric more firmly around the tufts.

While the binding member 14 is preferably made of a non-corrosive material, such as rustproof steel, it will be understood that it may also be formed of thread or cord, and may be either tied about the waist of the tuft or it may be sewed therethrough. Also the binding member 15 may be thread or the like which is applied only tightly enough to accomplish the desired purpose of drawing the tuft through the base fabric, after which it should be readily removable by an additional pull.

One method of treating theouter edge-of the base fabric 10 is shown at 10 Fig. 4, in which this edge is turned back upon itself and the tufts at that point inserted through both portions of the base fabric. Likewise in Fig. 5 is shown how two separate portions of the base fabric may be united in this way by means of the tufts. "If desired, this may be previously stitched .as at 21 to give it additional strength. in this way it is pos sible to extend the rug as it is.made,'thereby permitting use of a base fabric 10 which is much smaller than the rug sizedesired, so that the operator is not required to handle such large pieces while the rug is being made.

For example, the base fabric could be laid on and each section of it i completed except for that part where-the'overlap comesandthis couldthen be stitched together :as at'Q-l and then the tufts =in the overlapping portion could then bexinserted, thereby completing that-portion oftherug. This :method Ofmaking therug dispenses with the necessity for a .frame, since the operator .can hold -the rug in the lapbr on a table during the entire process 1 of assembly.

A modified form :of the rope from which the tufts:-are formedis'shownin Fig. 9. This-consists of a rope :22 which is bound :as :before by means of firm binding :members ili l jbut in this 'form there are no intermediate lbinding members. A piece of this rope, say three feet in length, is attahedasbefore to theneedle slfiiandzis drawn through-the base fabric 10 until the last binding member 14 :issubstantially .in the plane of :the fabric -1'0 ,-a"fterwhich the rope isJseVere'd along the line 22 fl he'two portions on both sides -'of the line 22 :are then sspread :as previously :described.

-In Fig. 3 .is:shown a nrodified form of: the tuft 12 which is firmly boun'd atiitsimiddle by amember 14t a's be'foreibut isheld. atone end :by aibinding member 23 which *may be 10f paper or fabric. This is-inserted in a needle '16 as Fig.-.6 forinsertion in the fabric 10, and ithis lbindin'g is removed by the needle after the Ituft :is inserted. For :convenience, the bindingiZB :is .made twice as long asshown in Fig. 3 and is severed inthe'mid- -dlezwhenthe'ropeis cut, as indicated in Fig.2.

It may be desirable for bathrooms and the like 'to use-a sheet of rubber, asa base, instead ofthe ="fabric ll). Tufts of rubber orrubberized fibers or-threads, or tufts of 'sponge rubberistippled atsthe ,ceritermay be threadedithrough thissheet in the manner:abovedescribed. :Also anrasbestos base fabric and tufts of asbestos wool may :be used to 'makea fireproof rug,:as.for use:in front=cf a fireplace. Combinations of .any of these :materials may also be employed, including fine 'metal threads or wires.

These tufts can also be used for decorative ef- "fects in'clusters orscatteredand insertedin the closed in the appended claims.

I claim: 1. In combination, a base fabric and tufts each comprising a 'group'o'f-fibers bound together near theircenterssaid tufts extending through said base with theirbound portions engaging the base and their extremities spread to form wearing surfaces.

.2. A tufted fabric comprising a base fabric, and'tufts each comprising a group of fibers bound together near their centers by a ring, said tufts extending through said base fabric with said ring engaging the base :and the extremities -.of .said tufts spread tofform wearingssurfaces.

3. A tufted fabric comprising a base fabric made .up of two -;overlapping :fabric zsections, .an'd itufts eachicornprising agroup-of fibers abound together i near their centers .and extending through :the

overlapping iSeGtiOnS with their I'bound portions engaging =therewith, tthe extremitiesmf said ztufts being spread, whereby to .secure said sections to- :gether rand zprovide wearing surfaces.

4. The methodof makinga tufted fabric :com-

iprisingsforming a .tuftcof ifiberspbinding the same at a ;point near the middle 10f :the tuft, inserting the fibersrof lone :end.of .the tuft inaa needle, forcing said needle with the tuft therein complete- 15 :through :a base fabric, whereby the bound ,por- .;tion of theatuftzis engaged and held by :the base fabric as the needle .iswithdrawnfromthe fabric. :55 .Theimethodcof making arug tufted fabric comprising forming a tuft of .fiberaEbinding the 35 .same at :a :pointmear the middleof the Etuft, in-

serting and securing the fibersof oneend of the .tuftiinua needle, .forcingsaidineedle withzthetuft therein through a base fabric, removing the nee- :dle from the'tuft;andrspreading'the endzof-the tuft 1.20 .sotheld.

6. Ihe method of :making a rug tufted :fabric comprising forming a mushroom-shaped tuft-of .fiber which is securely =bound near its middle and bound :nearxone-aend, inserting thebound end $125 :of the tuft .in a needle, :passing the needle and bound end of the tuft through-abase fabric, re-

:movingathe needle and end binding-fromithezend .of the tuft, and spreading the fibers of theend of the tuft. 8150 .7. The :method of making a rug tufted fabric comprisingiforming a-ropeor fibersbound atregu- :lar intervals, forminganopening in a base fabric,

drawing said rope through said opening-:untilthe last-point.at=which it-is bound isinlthe plane of the fabric, and cutting the-fibers so as to .form ends .of

the fibers of substantially equal length .on both sides of the fabric. 

